The U.S. House of Representatives has effectively halted an effort to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, sending the articles back to committee as lawmakers navigate a shifting political landscape. Meanwhile, federal prosecutors have indicted three men accused of acting as Iran-backed operatives in a series of international terror plots.
House Blocks Hegseth Impeachment and Replaces Leadership
The House voted 211 to 204 to send Republican Representative Thomas Massie’s impeachment articles back to the House Judiciary Committee for review, as reported by NPR. The maneuver bypasses any potential floor vote and ensures the matter will not be addressed before the current congressional session ends. Massie had reintroduced the articles, accusing Hegseth of high crimes connected to the war with Iran and U.S. strikes against drug boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. NPR reported that the vote largely came down to attendance, with insufficient Democrats on the floor.
In other congressional developments, House Republicans voted to replace Speaker Mike Johnson after midterm losses, selecting Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio as the new minority leader. NPR noted that Jordan’s selection, alongside Stephen Miller’s appointment as the president’s new chief of staff, signals a shift toward a more combative political approach as Democrats prepare investigations into President Donald Trump and his administration. Additionally, the House Oversight Committee released a report concluding that the federal government mishandled investigations into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Terror Suspects Indicted and Military Vets in Congress
U.S. federal prosecutors in Manhattan have indicted three men accused of working for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and the Iraqi militia Kata’ib Hezbollah. According to NPR reporting, the men are linked to nearly 20 terrorist attacks and attempted attacks in Europe and the United States, including a September plot against a British air base housing American forces. Charges detail attacks in Britain involving arson, explosives, and a near-fatal stabbing of two Jewish men in London.
In federal politics, the upcoming 120th Congress will feature at least 80 military veterans, including a record number of female veterans. Research from the Veterans Campaign and the University of San Francisco highlights that Democrats frequently selected veterans to run in the most challenging districts. Beyond running for office, veterans are increasingly participating as poll workers through groups like Vet the Vote, which mobilized over 175,000 volunteers for the midterms.
The Rembrandt House Museum in Amsterdam recently hosted a unique event where a tattoo artist replicated 17th-century masterpieces on visitors’ skin, and the Professional Women’s Hockey League announced the name of its newest franchise, the San José Sea Lions.
